Chapter 133
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He didn’t notice Ruby, and walked briskly toward the back hill. She secretly followed after him.
As she trailed along behind, another figure began to appear in the distance. The two recognized each other and approached gladly. When she belatedly made out the other person’s face, Ruby gasped in surprise.
‘Huh?’
The figure standing across from Louis was no one she knew, but the appearance was familiar. The woman, with long pink hair flowing down like her own, gazed tenderly at Louis, her red eyes shining.
‘Agatha.’
Louis called to the woman in a voice tinged with passion.
‘Louis.’
When the woman, too, called to him longingly, the two soon pulled each other into a tight embrace.
Ruby realized that what she was seeing now was not the future but the past. Yet she did not know how to take in this sight.
Was this from before her tribe hid away in the wilds? Unable to hide her confusion, Ruby was lost in thought when she lifted her head at a sudden, intense gaze she felt.
In that instant, the red eyes that met hers exactly shone clear and bright.
‘Help Louis.’
‘Agatha?’
‘Save the Wolf tribe.’
‘Did you see a spirit again?’
The woman named Agatha was clearly aware of Ruby’s presence. It was plainly her own dream, yet the other person knew she was there. She realized this was a dream of the same nature as a prophetic one.
Just as her grandmother and mother had recognized her in earlier prophetic dreams.
‘I loved him so much that I didn’t understand what was in Louis’s heart when he sacrificed himself. I only wanted to be by his side…’
Agatha’s wistful voice brushed past her ears like a cool breeze.
‘What are you talking about, Agatha? You’re the one who always sacrifices, more than me. Still, wait just a little longer. I’ll be sure to get my parents’ permission for our marriage. Trust me, Agatha.’
Louis’s earnest voice struck her like an arrow. Why had a man who spoke like that ended up cursed, wandering the ducal house?
Her heart ached. She didn’t know in detail what kind of love the two had shared, but strangely her heart hurt of its own accord.
‘I beg you, my descendant.’
With those words of Agatha’s ringing in her head, Ruby felt herself being pulled up from beneath sleep. The sensation was both very tender and very persistent.
“Mmm…”
A rush of fear came over Ruby at the feeling of her lips being devoured by something. The thing that nibbled at her lips as if devouring them pulled away for a brief moment.
But what had drawn back came right back and parted her lips, pressing inside. At the same time, cool water flowed into her mouth, and Ruby swallowed it before she knew it. Then a hand patted her bottom as if praising her.
Without even opening her eyes, she reached out an arm in a familiar motion and wrapped it around a thick neck. As if pleased by her response, a laugh slipped out between the lips against hers.
The lips that had drawn back once more pressed to hers, and cool water moistened the inside of Ruby’s mouth as before. Only after the same act had repeated several times could Ruby barely lift her heavy eyelids.
A face that looked faintly like Louis was peering down at her in worry. Ivan bit his lip hard, then released it and murmured:
“You didn’t open your eyes for two days. I was worried.”
His complexion didn’t look good either. Ruby quietly lifted a hand and stroked his cheek. It was a strange feeling.
She was not the Rabbit tribe ancestor she’d seen in the dream, and Ivan was not Louis, yet strangely her heart felt heavy, and for a while she couldn’t bring out a single word.
She only parted her lips willingly to drink whenever he held water in his mouth and lowered his head. Again and again, on and on.
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Erica